Fastener for casket-lids



(No Model.)

W. C. LANGBNAU. FASTENER FOR GASKET LIDS.

No. 528,948.,v

Patented Nov. 18, 1894.

Waag-5253?.

IIIIIIII WL' tra 7636.55

PATENT UEEICE.

WILLIAM c. LANGENAU, 4or' CLEVELAND, oHIo.

FASTENER FOR GASKET-LIDSf SPECIFICATION To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. LANGENAU, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for Casket- Lids, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best Inode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail, one mechanical form embodying the invention; such detail construction being but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings-Figure I represents a section of a portion of the side and the lid of acasket provided with myimproved fastener; Fig. II, a perspective view of the` under side of the keeper, and Figs. III and IV, perspective views, respectively of the inner and outer side of the plate, hook and latch.

The fastener consists of the following principal parts, viz: a hook portion comprising a plate, A, which is preferably secured to the lid, a hook, A', which projects from the plate, and a latch, A2, pivoted within'the hook, and a keeper portion, B, which preferably is secured to the casket and which has an opening for the insertion of the hook.

Fasteners for securing the lids of caskets or coftins to the body of the same have heretofore been made either with smooth hooks projecting in longitudinal lines from the lid of the casket and engaging keepers in the edges of the body of the casket, so that the lid might be secured and removed by lengthwise sliding the lid upon the body,-a separate latch being provided to prevent lengthwise movement of the lid after the latter is hooked in place; or such fasteners have been made with a latch in the hook, projecting from the under side of the latter and engaging the edge of the hole in the keeper. In either of such forms, no provision is made for the various styles in which Gaskets are finished.

Some Gaskets are plain and uncovered, the wood being suitably finished. In such form,

forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,948, dated November 13, 1894.

Application filed .T une 22, 1894.

Serial No. 515.337. (No model.)

the keeper plate is directly exposed in the edge of the casket body. Other caskets are made in the material to correspond with the slot in the keeper plate.

A fastener of either of the above referred to forms, which would perfectly fit one style of nish of the casket, would not t the other styles, as the differences in the'degrees of approach of the lid, to the edges of the casket body, would change the relative positions of engagement of the parts of the fastener. '[he form of fastener having the latch projecting at the under side of the hook, would, furthermore,possess the disadvantage that,in sliding the lid lengthwise upon the edges of the casket body, the latch would engage the covering material and tear the same.

In my fastener, the under side of the hook is perfectly smooth, so that the hook cannot mar the edges of the casket body, and provisionis made for changes in the relative positions of the parts of the fastener with dif-v ferent styles of finish for the casket, so that the same size of fastener may be used for caskets having plain woodfinish, having cloth covering, or having velvet or plush covering.

Four or six fasteners are usually employed in one casket or coffin, according to the size and shape of the same,'and all of said fasteners may be of my improved construction, or one or more on each side may be of such construction, and the other fasteners may have plain hooks, without the latch.

. The hook A of my fastener is formed with three notches, a, forming teeth upon its inner side, and the notches are engaged by a spring tongue, b, secured to the inner side of the keeper plate, at one end of the slot in the same, when the hook is inserted into the slot of thekeeper. On account of the series of notches, the hook may be engaged by the spring tongue in either one of the notches, according to the iinish of the casket and, consequently, according to the depth to which the hook may enter the slot in the keeper. In Fig. I of the drawings, the hook is illustrated as inserted to have the second notch engaged by the spring tongue, such engagement being presumed to take place when the IOO casket is covered with cloth. The layers ofy cloth are indicated by c and c', and are respectively secured to the lid C and side C' of the casket. The hook of the fastener has the latch A2 pivoted within it, so that the latch may be tilted to projectwith one edge out through a longitudinal recess, ct', in the inner side of the hook. The latch has an arm, a2, eX- tendingv from its inner end, and said arm has a laterally projecting thumb piece, a3, by means of which the latch may be rocked,-the recess C2, in the lid, in which the latch arm is housed, and over which the plate A is secured,being laterally extended for the accommodation of said thumb piece. A spring, 0,4, is secured to the latch arm, and bears against the inner side of the plate A, so that the latch will be normally held within the recess of the hook. A nose, a5, is formed upon the latch, above the plate, and said nose prevents the latch arm and latch from being raised farther than is necessary to raise the spring out of a notch, so as to effect the disengagement of the hook portion from the keeper. The plate is cut away to accommodate the thumb piece of the latch arm, and the projecting portion of the plate, left by such cutting away, is bent at a right angle to the plane of the plate, so that its edge may serve as a guide, ai', for the latch arm.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism thus disclosed, provided the principles of construction set forth respectively in the following claims are employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my inventionl. In a fastener for casket lids, the combination of a hook portion the hook of which has asmooth outer side and a series of notches upon its inner side, a keeper having a slot for the insertion of such hook and provided wit-h a projection which may engage the notches of the hook, and a latch within the hook and engaging the projection upon the keeper to disengage such projection from the notches in the hook, substantially as set forth.

2. In a fastener for casket lids, the combination of a hook portion the hook of which has a smooth outer side and aseries of notches upon its inner side, a keeper portion having a slot for the hook of such hook portion and a spring engaging the notches in said hook portion, and a latch pivoted in said hook portion to be actuated to disengage the spring from the notches, substantially as set forth.

3. In a fastener for casket lids, the combination of a plate formed with a guide lip at one end bent at a right angle to the plate and with a hook having a smooth outer side and a series of notches upon its inner side, a keeper having a slot for the insertion of the hook and aspring engaging the notches in the same, and a latch pivoted in the hook to bear against and disengage the spring and formed with a nose which limits its play and with an actuating arm which bears against and is guided by the edge of the guide lip upon the plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to be my invention I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of June, A. D. 189i.

W. C. LANGENAU.

Witnesses:

J. B. FAY, DAVID T. DAvIEs. 

